Disclaimer: I don't own Gargoyles
Long ago somewhere in North Scotland, loomed at large castle. And that castle was in flames. Overhead, two gargoyles glide towards the castle with shock and horror. The castle, their home was attacked. The humans they protected littered the ground with their lifeless bodies. One of the gargoyles, the older of the two, lands on top of a barracks. The other gargoyle, a younger, more built figure named Goliath, glided on for evidence on their kind. Whenever a gargoyle was killed, their bodies were reduced to a single pile of rubble. But there were no such piles. Then, Goliath heard a voice calling to him. "Goliath! Down here!". Goliath soared down to where the voice was. He was surprised at the sight before him. Multiple gargoyles (with different traits) were coming out of a large cave they kept as their rookery. Leading them were 4 familiar faces. One was red and avian with white hair. The 2nd was large and teal with a large stomach. The 3rd was short and dirty yellow with his wings attached to his arms and legs. The last looked more animalistic than the other 3 and had no wings at all. Goliath could not have been happier to see his clan again. The elder came in and had the same response.
Goliath: We thought all was lost. Where's my 2nd in command?
Red: she's gone. But she left you a message.
The red one gave Goliath a scroll. He (goliath) opened the scroll and read;
My Love, our enemies will return and slay without hesitation. So I'm taking half our clan to safer managed to evacuate the young ones and the eggs, including our own. I know our behavior to protect those we care about, but I was torned b/w saving the humans and saving our own. So before we left, we managed to take our enemies lives, though we lost a few of our own. Though the enemy's loss was great, the humans' were greater. I hope you get this scroll and understand. No matter if we live or die, close or apart, we are one and forever.
So long,
Your love.
Goliath was moved and saddened by the scroll. Be he knew he'd have to grieve later. For now he knew what happens next.
Teal: what do we do now Goliath?
Elder: we're all ears, my friend.
Goliath: I'll tell your what we're going to do.
Hakkon's Camp
The enemy camp was an awkward looking establishment. Among the soldiers were the remaining castle inhabitants that were taken prisoner.
Hakkon's dwelling was actually a cave in a hill a foot above his camp. In there, the warlord and the (former) traitorous Captain talking by the fire, while the Princess Katherine and the magus were tied side by side at the side.
Hakkon, finding a book at his side, flips through the pages before tearing several pages out and tossing them into the fire.
Magus: Stop! What are you doing to my book?!
Hakkon: It's a good thing I'm not into reading books. A true waste of time, I say.
Princess Katherine : Captain! This is unacceptable! I order you to release us all at once!
Captain: I'm sorry, "your majesty". But you are no longer able to give orders.
Hakkon:( tearing out more pages of Magus's Spell book) Listen to yourself, woman. Without your kingdom, you're nothing. Without your guards, you're nothing. Not even your gargoyles couldn't help then.
The princess sighed in sadness. He was right about those words. Especially about the gargoyles. Up until now, Goliath and his band have saved her home more times than she can remember. Yet instead of respecting them or being grateful, all she(and the other humans) did was scorn, dismiss and prejudiced them as beasts of burden. She thought about their fate, now more worrisome than ever.
Magus: (to the princess) It would take a miracle to save us all.
Katherine: Aye, Magus. A miracle indeed.
Hakkon's slave camp (with his camp)
The princess was certainly not the only one thinking about their former guardians. In the crowd of clustered slaves, a young boy (somewhere between 10 and 13) was watching the sky and landscape, hoping that by any chance, their guardians will save them. His mother saw him doing so and walked over towards him
Mother: my dear. What are you staring in the distance for?
Son: the gargoyles. They'll come for us.
Mother:(struck with grief) I don't think they will. They've either deserted us or became pebbles. No one will come.
Son:(full of hope) Not on my life! I know for a fact that they're plenty of them out there. They're going to save us. Whether the princess, her arse-kissing wizard (magus), or any other ungrateful person in this wasteland likes it or Not!
A passing soldier overheard the boy.
Soldier: save your breath, young one. Those walking, talking statues are as good as gone.
Suddenly, another soldier screamed before being silence briefly after.
Soldier: what the bloody hell was that?!
Then, the inhabitants heard more screams from the exterior of the camp. Before the soldier or the boy even blinked, multiple shadows fell upon the soldiers. The hostages were surprised, but the boy was ecstatic.
Boy: It's the gargoyles! I knew they'd come for us!
Soldier: Impossible. I thought we done those stone demons in.
A large blue blur, accompanied by dozens of other colored blurs charged the hostages' area and tore the ropes and wooden gates that bound them. The blue beast leapt on the soldier near the gate, leaving him subdued.
Blue Beast: Think again, fleshbag.
The soldier was then surrounded and shredded in seconds in front of the fleeing captives. All around them, the gargoyles they thought were deceased were fighting the very foes who ravaged their home.
Hearing the screams, Hakkon and the traitor ran out of the cave, to find their forces fall and/or flee against the gargoyles might.
Hakkon: You said they wouldn't follow us.
Traitor: If you hadn't slain their comrades.
Katherine and Magus couldn't believe their ears. The gargoyles, the stone neighbors they dismissed as savages, were here to save them.
Katherine: You're both dead men.
Hakkon overheard her remark as he took out a dagger from his cloak
Hakkon: Aye, but not before you!
Before he struck her neck, Katherine head butted Hakkon in the stomach, causing him to stumble into the Traitor. With them subdued, she got to her feet and ran out the cave. Realizing what has happened, the two men ran out after her, while the struggling magician chafed his cuffed hands to a sharp rock, determined to save his friend.
Outside the cave, the gargoyles were cleaning the floor with their enemies. Injured and outmatched, they ran out of their camp to safer distances. Goliath spotted three distinct figures going towards the cliff: the princess bound, Hakkon and the traitorous captain. Without hesitation, he dived towards the fleeing trio, thinking of an "unpleasant" act justice on the latter two.
At the cliff, the princess was grabbed by the murderous warlord, now lacking patience.
"You should've stayed put when you had the chance." said Hakkon, drawing his dagger closer to his captor's neck.
A thud, a whoosh and a growl gave the trio attention. Turning, they saw Goliath in front of them, a 7 ft tall statue of eyes glowing white, wings flared, tail lashing, fist clenching, fury.
Goliath(to the captain): you are the Judas?!
The former captain walked in front of the other two.
Captain: It was never meant to be this way, Goliath. If you've just lead your clan to safety…
Goliath: Half of my clan fled to safety. The other half were reduced to remains. And now, you two will join them!
Hakkon, seeing that Goliath was upset at the Captain, pointed his dagger in the latter's direction. If he was getting out of this, he needed a reason (or a scapegoat)
Hakkon (pointing at the captain): he's the one you want! He shattered them!
Captain: YOU LYING SCUM!
The captain ran at Hakkon,sending the two to the ground and into a fist fight. The Princess took this opportunity and ran passed the fighting men to Goliath's side. The men kept attacking each other with punches and profanity, not realizing 2 simple facts; the princess is out of their reach, and both of them were heading towards a cliff without warning. Before they knew it, the ground beneath started to crumble, and they were both falling towards the sea. Quick as a flash, Goliath shot up into the air and off the cliff to save the duo. As he dived, he managed to grab hold of Captain's torso, but noticed that Hakkon was falling faster than a stone. Before he could reach him, the strong winds rolled in, sending Goliath and the Captain right back on the land. Hakkon's scream was heard for the last time before the waves came upon him, smashing his body into the rocks, and dragging his body into the open water, ending his life. The three figures stared at the water, before Captain spoke up.
"I've made some bad choices in my time. But this one tops it all. I never meant for Any of this to happen. I just wanted you and your clan to be respected. Noticed. Happy. I'm sorry my decision ruined everything. But if you're too upset to forgive me, then do with me now, Goliath." the captain said somberly as he got on his knees and closed his eyes, ready for the killing blow. But it never came. Instead, Goliath walked to the humbled human. "Rise up. Now that i've known why, I will let you live."
The 3 returned to Hakkon's destroyed camp, only to find a shocking discovery; all the gargoyles have been turned to statues in the moonlight. Goliath walked forward, gazing at his comrades until he found a particular group of familiar faces; a red skinned with white hair and a beak, a large teal skinned with a large gut, a small yellow skin with membranes, a crouching beast with confusion in its eyes, and an elder with a long beard and one working eye. It was his old friend, his "top dog" and the trio, in a circle, staring at the sky. "How can this be? Frozen at night? It doesn't make sense" said Goliath calmly. "Aye it does make sense, beast. For I've set their fates in stone, and you will joined them, in honor of the late lady!" said a voice in fury. The gargoyle turned to see Magus standing,book in hand, about to cast the same spell on him. "Magus, What have you done?" said Katherine in a low, sad voice. Magus was shocked, his ruler was right there alive. "Goliath saved me from a horrible end." "Oh no. i've thought you've perished. I was mad with grief" Magus said as he fell to his knees. Goliath grabbed the magician by his robe, gritting his teeth with rage. "Reverse the spell. Bring them back!" Goliath roared. "I can't! Hakkon tore and burned many of my pages, including the reversal spell." Magus cried in innocence. "You turned them into permanent stone?" asked Katherine. "No, only until the castle rises above the clouds." replied Magus. Dropping the wizard on his arse, the lone gargoyle walked to his frozen clan, sighing in defeat. "Now, i am truly alone." Unknown to the 3, the captain frowned at this tragedy and walked elsewhere. Some say he went to find and cleanse himself of this horrific wrong.
Castle Wyvern
A few hours (and several trips) later, the princess, the mage and the gargoyle placed the latter's brethren on the edge of the barracks of their old home in silence. As Goliath placed his mentor's statue last, the princess spoke up. "We've wronged you greatly, goliath." Said gargoyle snorted in agreement when the Magus spoke next. "I know no apology would Ever fix what was done. I just wish there was something we could do." goliath folded his wings into a cape fashion, pondering. "I've 2 requests. Lady Katherine, i've recently discovered many eggs left behind in my love's escape. When they hatch, they'll need guidance." "My people will be leaving for my uncle's kingdom. We'll raise them as if they were our own." the princess said with honesty and trust. "My 2nd request," Goliath said to Magus, "i want you to cast your spell, one more time." both humans were surprised and looked at each other.
2 hours laters
Castle Wyvern was now an isolated structure. Walls smashed and towers collapsed were a reminder of that fateful night. However, there were several walls and towers still standing. On those walls were multiple statues of winged (and sometimes wingless) figures, posed in crouched positions, ready to fight any who opposed them. Perched on the tallest watchtower, was Goliath crouch in a position similar to the Thinker, looking over his comrades. Waiting until their once proud home reaches the sky….
10 centuries (1000 years) later
"Owen, how many gargoyles have been found?"
"Given on how large this ancient domicile is, I'd say a least 30, if not more."
"Wow, honestly, i thought there be 6 at least. But we've struck gold here! I want one group securing the statues, and the rest on the castle. Everything must go."
"Yes, Mr. Xanatos"
